Ушел из жизни легендарный радиоведущий Биффало Сэнди Бич в возрасте 86 лет

One of Buffalo’s most popular and talented radio personalities, Sandy Beach, passed away on Aug. 17, after a short illness. He was 86. Beach first came to Buffalo in 1968 from WDRC radio in Hartford, Connecticut, and joined a very talented lineup of disc jockeys at WKBW radio. WKBW morning personality at that time, Danny Neaverth, recently said of Sandy, “I just lost a very good friend, probably my best friend.” During the ‘60s and early ‘70s, WKBW was considered one of the top rock ’n’ roll radio stations in the country. Known by many as “KB radio,” once the sun went down, due to its 50,000-watt signal, people up and down the entire East Coast could hear the Buffalo station. Beach also hosted a morning show in the late ‘80s on 102.5 WMJQ-FM, also known at the time as Magic 102. After working in Dallas, San Francisco and Milwaukee, WBEN Program Director Tim Wenger convinced Beach to return to Buffalo in 1997 as a talk show host. “His intellect was absolutely incredible,” Wenger said. “The man is one of the most intelligent people I ever knew.” The show, known as “Beach & Company,” aired until 2020. WBEN NewsRadio 930 is located in Amherst, off Maple Road. Beach’s talent was recognized by his induction into the NYS Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the DJ category in the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2003 into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was also nominated for Billboard magazine’s “Personality of the Year” three times. His distinctive voice was easily recognizable, but it was his signature laugh that will be remembered by so many. Former coworker at WBEN, Larry Hunter said, “Sandy’s laugh was truly iconic. He’s the only person I ever met who could laugh in three different octaves.” Beach was also a dog lover. “I used to bring my dog Buckaroo to work at WBEN,” Hunter said. “Sandy liked Buckaroo so much, he gave him the nickname, ‘Buck the Wonder Dog,’ which is what we ended up calling him on the air.” Besides animals, Beach was extremely fond of automobiles. According to friends, he owned over 100 different vehicles throughout his lifetime. Beach closed his final broadcast at WBEN by saying, “I’ve been wildly successful thanks to you, and thank you for sharing your life with me.”